CLASS RACER FORUM - View Single Post

Evan Smith · 05-13-2010, 08:50 AM

This is right in my wheelhouse so I will answer.

First and foremost, it's not 1970, there is a lot more cool drag racing going on than just NHRA/IHRA Stock and Super Stock. The heads-up stuff, not just 10.5 Outlaw, is awesome and exciting racing. Go to any NMCA or NMRA race and you will find guys having fun, racing heads-up. The rules are just as strict as NHRA and it is very professional and competitive. Events are two and three days so it's easier to do for many people, and you can build a car using new parts and go very fast. Plus there are car shows, which is another attraction to magazine guys.

With that, both Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords and Super Chevy, two books which work on, have done NHRA Sportsman coverage. In fact, the July '10 issue of SC, which is about to hit, will feature Jerry MacNeish's Z/28, and SC has done tech and feature stories on the Ficcaci's, Steve Calabro/Joe Fasano, Aubry's 409, all in the last few years. In MM&FF I've done stories on John Calvert, Travis Gusso, Jeff Swanson, Grace Howell, John Presing, Indy coverage, etc.

Have any of you contacted editors and requested an article? Editors are always looking for ideas, so be proactive and propose an idea, with a photo or two and a well-written email.

Terry, I'm sorry you feel that way about those magazines. I can't speak for the other editors, but it is our job (as editors) to follow trends and keep our publications current. If all you care about is what happened in the '60 and '70s then that is cool, but you can't expect the rest of the world to linger in the past. That is not a dig on you, you are entitled to like whatever you want, but don't degrade a magazine just because it doesn't suit you. I don't care about street rods, but that doesn't mean what's been printed is meaningless. Obviously, there are many people reading our books, or we'd be out of business.

While I love Stock and SS racing, you couldn't sell enough advertising or magazines to do a book just on those topics these days. The racing world is just too segmented. Because many of put so much passion into racing we expect that the things like racetracks, magazines, sanctioning bodies, etc. should be perfect and the way WE want them to be. But there is also a business end of things. Most people would crumble at the knees if they knew our printing and publishing costs. It's amazing that we can still offer a product providing as much information as we do for just a few bucks.

http://www.superchevy.com/features/c.../photo_01.html

Evan

05-13-2010, 08:50 AM	#4
Evan Smith Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Tampa Posts: 400 Likes: 7 Liked 115 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Lack Of S/SS Magazine Coverage This is right in my wheelhouse so I will answer. First and foremost, it's not 1970, there is a lot more cool drag racing going on than just NHRA/IHRA Stock and Super Stock. The heads-up stuff, not just 10.5 Outlaw, is awesome and exciting racing. Go to any NMCA or NMRA race and you will find guys having fun, racing heads-up. The rules are just as strict as NHRA and it is very professional and competitive. Events are two and three days so it's easier to do for many people, and you can build a car using new parts and go very fast. Plus there are car shows, which is another attraction to magazine guys. With that, both Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords and Super Chevy, two books which work on, have done NHRA Sportsman coverage. In fact, the July '10 issue of SC, which is about to hit, will feature Jerry MacNeish's Z/28, and SC has done tech and feature stories on the Ficcaci's, Steve Calabro/Joe Fasano, Aubry's 409, all in the last few years. In MM&FF I've done stories on John Calvert, Travis Gusso, Jeff Swanson, Grace Howell, John Presing, Indy coverage, etc. Have any of you contacted editors and requested an article? Editors are always looking for ideas, so be proactive and propose an idea, with a photo or two and a well-written email. Terry, I'm sorry you feel that way about those magazines. I can't speak for the other editors, but it is our job (as editors) to follow trends and keep our publications current. If all you care about is what happened in the '60 and '70s then that is cool, but you can't expect the rest of the world to linger in the past. That is not a dig on you, you are entitled to like whatever you want, but don't degrade a magazine just because it doesn't suit you. I don't care about street rods, but that doesn't mean what's been printed is meaningless. Obviously, there are many people reading our books, or we'd be out of business. While I love Stock and SS racing, you couldn't sell enough advertising or magazines to do a book just on those topics these days. The racing world is just too segmented. Because many of put so much passion into racing we expect that the things like racetracks, magazines, sanctioning bodies, etc. should be perfect and the way WE want them to be. But there is also a business end of things. Most people would crumble at the knees if they knew our printing and publishing costs. It's amazing that we can still offer a product providing as much information as we do for just a few bucks. http://www.superchevy.com/features/c.../photo_01.html Evan __________________ Evan Smith 1798 STK Last edited by Evan Smith; 05-13-2010 at 08:54 AM.